Expert: Mark Bornfeld DDS - 11/26/2007

Question
I had a filling done 3 days ago,my dentist said that it was bad,cos the tooth looked like it was dead.I was told that if it keeps me up at night then it will have to be extracted, but it only used to pain now and then so i had it filled. The pain has worsened ever since the filling was done,Ponados are not working, and it is sensitive to cold air. I dont want to lose this tooth,is it normal to pain like this? Please Advise

Answer
Dear Mohammed,

Some pain is to be expected after a deep filling, but pain that is sufficiently severe to keep you awake at night is clearly NOT normal. The fact that your dentist suspected the tooth was "dead" is further evidence that a filling alone will be insufficient to eliminate the pain.

Your narrative suggests that you require a root canal treatment, and I recommend that you discuss your options with your dentist-- either he can provide you with this service, or perhaps he may choose to refer you to an endodontist (root canal specialist) for this treatment.

Hope this helps...

Mark Bornfeld DDS
www.dentaltwins.com
Brooklyn, NY